Jewish Extremist Blames Bird Flu in Israel on Gaza Pullout

Much like Pat Robertson in the US who has blamed various natural catastrophes on homosexuality, teaching the theory of evolution, etc., Jewish extremist Baruch Marzel believes that the recent outbreak of bird flu in Israel is God's wrath for the pullout from the Gaza strip. ...

According to Ynetnews:

The bird flu outbreak in southern Israel is God's punishment for the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank disengagement, National Jewish Front Chairman Baruch Marzel says.

"You were punished by God and now you'll have to ask for the forgiveness of Gush Katif residents," Marzel wrote in a letter to southern residents whose communities were affected by bird flu.

In the wake of the bird flu outbreak, rightists have been voicing various theories regarding the connection between the disease and the implementation of the pullout. Marzel himself is certain such connection exists.

"The kibbutz was used to house the expulsion headquarters because of greed, and therefore the bird flu outbreak happened there of all places," the far right leader wrote in his letter to Ein HaShlosha kibbutz.

Update I 3/22/06 According to IOL:

An outbreak of deadly bird flu in Israel is God's punishment for calls made in election campaign advertisements for gay marriages to be legalised, says David Basri, a prominent sage preaching the Kabbalah or Jewish mysticism.

"The Bible says God punishes depravity first through plagues against animals and then in people," the rabbi said in a religious edict quoted by his son.

Basri hoped the deaths of hundreds of thousands of turkeys and chickens would help atone for what he called the sins of left-wing Israeli political parties, his rabbi son, Yitzhak Basri, said.